Brave 25-year-old Hartlepool woman awaiting kidney transplant is set to climb Whitby's 199 steps in fundraiser
A young Hartlepool woman is raising money for two worthy causes after suffering a stroke at the age of just 24.
Alice Frankland’s life was “turned upside down” last May when she had a stroke and has undergone a long period of recovery which included having to learn to walk again.
Twenty-five-year-old Alice is also currently on dialysis four times a week as she waits for a second kidney transplant having being born with a rare condition called renal osteodystrophy, meaning her own kidneys did not form properly as a child.
But she has decided to take on Whitby’s famous 199 steps on May 10 to mark one year since her stroke.
Alice is raising money for the Stroke Association and renal ward at the the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where she has been receiving physiotherapy.
She said: “Initially after the stroke, I was unable to sit up unassisted and have been relearning to walk and rebuilding my core strength to walk unassisted.
"I am currently able to walk short distances unassisted, and building my stamina to be able to walk further.
"I was also unable to perform basic tasks such as feeding and cleaning myself which I have now regained the ability to do.”
Since starting her rehab journey back in August, Alice has “come on leaps and bounds”.
She said: “If it wasn’t for Tees neuro-rehabilitation, I don’t know where I would be now in terms of my recovery, or if I’d be able to walk at all.
"Thanks to the team, I am a lot more independent and confident in completing day to day tasks on my own and slowly returning to the life I had before my stroke.”
Alice is still undergoing physiotherapy at James Cook University Hospital twice a week and is experiencing a number of side effects, including fatigue.
She said: “From being asked if I’d consider a care home for my recovery to where I am now, I would say that things are going amazingly well.”
Alice is still looking for any potential kidney donor with blood type O who may be able to help her.
If you are are able to help Alice, contact her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/aliceskinner01.
Donations to her fundraiser can be made at the Go Fund Me page at https://bit.ly/4r2Awl9.